As is now common, integrated circuits are being formed into increasingly smaller, miniaturized form known as "chips" which are normally mounted to a carrier. Sockets are electrically connected devices which accommodate chip carriers for the purpose of either testing the chips or mounting the carriers and chips to an appropriate circuit board. Examples of such socket devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,491,377; 4,623,208; and 4,715,823. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,491.377 the contacts which engage the chip carrier within the socket are formed with internally bevelled surfaces which engage a correspondingly bevelled top. When the top is depressed, the contacts by virtue of their engagement with the top at their internal edges, are forced outwardly to allow the insertion or removal of the chip carrier. Sockets of this nature are inherently enclosed which reduces air circulation through the socket and about the chip carrier, thereby tending to cause overheating of the chip. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,208 each contact of the socket is of cantilevered form having a platform or arm which extends outwardly and which engages the top. In a socket of this nature, there is more openness between the top and the base of the socket to allow adequate ventilation of the chip carrier. But due to the configuration of the contacts, additional downward force is generally required to be applied to the top in order to spread the contacts to allow the insertion or removal of the chip carrier. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,823 each contact is provided with a more circular or return bent configuration while still of cantilevered form which reduces the amount of force required to be applied to the top to spread the contacts. Nevertheless, the design of each contact is extremely critical which results in an overly complicated socket design.
In the following described invention, each contact of the socket is a simplified design with the top of the socket being constructed to apply at first a greater vertical force and later a greater lateral force as the contact is bent outwardly to accommodate the insertion or removal of the chip carrier.